Vaporization of volatile constituents of various substances without combustion by the application of heat for the purpose of inhaling volatile constituents is a process that has been known. Some have made use of heated stones, heated metal or coals in an isolated chamber. The conduction of heat from such a chamber has been used to release volatile constituents from medicinal substances in an adjacent chamber in order to make possible inhalation of the volatile constituents.
Some use heat from electrical heating elements as a means to accomplish vaporization without significant combustion. Other devices use the application of heat from a flame through an intermediary barrier of glass, metal, or other heat conducting material, thereby preventing direct contact of the flame with the substance to be vaporized. Still other devices rely on the transfer of heat from the combustion of a solid fuel source, generally a carbonaceous material. Then there are a number of devices that rely on the application of internally or externally produced hot air to a vaporizable substance in order to achieve vaporization.
An advantage of vaporization of a substance over combustion of that same substance can be the elimination of unwanted combustion byproducts and therefore a reduction in the health risks associated with inhalation. Overall, past devices can present effective means of releasing various volatile constituents from substances while avoiding the commingling of said volatile constituents with unwanted combustion by-products. Although they may effectively vaporize vaporizable substances, many of the devices referred to above also have disadvantages including the user inhaling unwanted substances.